Big Sister, Little Favour
by elrenia77
Summary: Cameron wants to live a life outside the hospital. Cameron centered but still a House Cameron story. Though it's gonna take some time to get there. Rating has changed as a precaution.
1. Chapter 1

_Well , this is my first attempt at a House Fanfiction. So, please be gentle. It is a House / Cameron story but it might take some time until that is obvious._

_I would like to thank my betas Melissa, diagnosticmad aka Gina and ilovedanieljackson. They did a brilliant job. Their ideas have been very challenging and, I hope, they have improved my writing. Any further mistakes are mine and only mine. Although they all mentioned that I'm using the "wrong" spelling, I'm going to stick with the British English spelling. Soon, I will call London my home. Therefore, I think it's only fair and square if I write in British English._

_Everything I know about the Big Brothers / Big Sisters programme I know from their very informative homepage. Nevertheless, I am bound to make mistakes. I do apologize in advance. Any help in that matter is appreciated._

_Please read and review. I am always open for constructive criticism. But, please, no flames, as one can hardly learn from them._

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own **House, M.D.** nor do I want to profit from this in any way._

* * *

**Big Sister, Little Favour **

**_Chapter 1_**

Why Allison Cameron turned up at the registration office or the Big Brothers / Big Sisters programme that cold winter day was a question even she couldn't answer. She already had a more than fulfilling job at hand. And yet, there was something missing. Her life hadn't treated her all too well. Yet, after her husband's death she still kept on living, wishing and dreaming that one day she would find security in a new relationship.

The new family she found at Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital wasn't as promising as it seemed to be at the beginning. Having loved and hated House, turning into a drug-induced Chase seducing vamp and being overrun by the over-eagerness of Foreman, who wanted to make his own career without looking out for his peers, left her feeling lost and spent. All she wished for was a bit of warmth. Something that would show her she had a true family.

She had been surfing the internet one day when she came across an advertisement for the BBBS programme. She clicked on the link and was taken with the description of the programme. It confronted her with the uneasiness that had settled in her personal life recently. Maybe spending some of her time with a young friend would give her a feeling of belonging.

After a few days of contemplating this idea, she finally decided to give it a try. If it didn't work out... well, she already knew that feeling. It wouldn't be for the first time in her life that something didn't work out.

Allison pushed the door to the centre open and was grateful for the warm air that welcomed her as she escaped from the cold outside. She looked around and walked down the hall. On the walls there were pictures on display. Allison assumed that they portrayed many big and little brothers and sisters, who were smiling down on any potential volunteer walking down this hallway. The second door on the left was open. The room was fairly big and painted in a warm yellow colour. Allison spotted a desk where a man sat reading through a book. She made her way over to the desk.

"Hi," she said shyly but surely, a hint of a grin playing on her lips.

The man looked up at Allison. His face immediately lit up in a smile when he saw her. "Hi there!" He managed to choke out while standing up. "Can I help you?"

Allison quickly took in the appearance of this man. He was maybe in his early to mid thirties. His hair was an unruly mess of brown spikes. The hairdo looked a little bit like Harry Potter, all grown up. He was maybe half a head taller than her. His build was neither too muscular nor too slim. He was the average next-door-kinda guy with very friendly and warm brown eyes. As he smiled, Allison was able to make out some soft wrinkles along his eyes. It suited him, she decided.

"My name is Allison Cameron. I would like to get a little bit more information on your programme. I thought about joining it," she said quickly, nearly stumbling over her words.

Mr Messy Hair tried to flatten his unruly mess using both of his hands but once he skimmed over it, it immediately flopped back into place. "Hi Allison. I'm Mark Heath. Nice to meet you. We are always happy about new Bigs. I am already one, a Big that is. I help out at the front desk on the odd occasion. "

Allison could only raise an eyebrow at that. "Well, if you are interested you might as well learn the right lingo," Mark said, winking at her. "We usually call the big sisters and brothers Bigs for short while the kids who participate are just referred to as Littles."

Mark turned around and called out: "Mama Marge!"

He immediately turned back to Allison and smiled at her. She had to admit that he was a man with a very winning smile. "So…, Allison, what made you come here?" Mark tried to start up a conversation.

"I don't know exactly," Allison shrugged her shoulders. "I saw an ad on the internet and clicked on it. What I found was something that I liked. It just feels right."

While they talked, a door nearby opened and an over-weight woman whose skin was the colour of dark chocolate, came through it. Her eyes were shining with an unbelievable fire for life, a gentle smile was gracing her lips.

"Hello dear," she greeted Allison right from the moment she stepped through the door, "My name is Marge O'Mally. I head the office of the Big Brothers Big Sisters programme here in Princeton. What brings you here, love?"

"She wants to become a Big, Mama Marge," Mark piped up.

The smile on Marge's face grew even more. "That is lovely. And you already met another Big. Mark here. He even used to be a Little a long time ago. And now he can give his experience on to a new generation of Littles. I'm sure he will tell you as much as you want to know."

Mark nodded enthusiastically. "You only need to ask."

"Now," Mama Marge ushered Allison through into her office space, "Let's see what we can do about you."

Allison was thrilled by the welcoming manner of the people at the registration office. It was quite different to the manners she had become accustomed to at the hospital. House did have a sneaky way of working around good bedside manners.

She followed Mama Marge into her office and was – again – surprised by the warm surroundings that she found herself in. One wall in her office was painted a dark red colour while the others were painted the same yellow as the front room. A beautifully craved wooden desk was the centre piece of the room. Similar to House's desk it was overflowing with paperwork. Unlike House's office it still looked like somebody was working there and there seemed to be a method inside the chaos. There was a set of huge book shelves along the yellow walls while there were wonderful pictures on the red wall in terrific wooden frames. The pictures featured a variety of different landscapes, which surprised Allison a little bit as she suspected someone who is even called "Mama" in this mentoring programme would have lots of photos of her "children".

As if she suspected this, Mama Marge said to Allison while she was taking a long look at the photos: "I have them all in my heart. Much better than any photos would ever be."

Allison turned slightly red: "I'm sorry, Ms O'Mally, I didn't mean to snoop."

Mama Marge shrugged her shoulder and pointed to a sitting area with two armchairs and a sofa adorning the far wall from her desk. Mama Marge motioned for Allison to have a seat in one very cosy looking arm chair while she took a place in a similar arm chair across from Allison: "It's Mama Marge, dear. At least I know one thing about you, now. You're curious by nature. Not that this is something bad."

It was Allison's turn to shrug her shoulders. "It comes with the job," she said and sat down in the chair.

"Aaah, dear. That's what I want to know. What do you do? Where are you from? Why are you here? And most of all: Where do you go from here?"

The way Mama Marge asked these questions left no possibility for Allison but to answer her question. She felt accepted and respected by the woman. Somewhere in the middle of their conversation there was a quiet knock on the door and Mark came in bearing a tea pot and two cups along with some cookies. He smiled warmly at Allison and she responded likewise which only made Mark smile more widely.

Mama Marge, on the other hand, only watched this little exchange silently. Before she and Allison returned to their previous conversation, she said: "Mark is a good man. I have known him since he was six years old. You are a good woman. Don't make him fall for you. You are already taken."

Allison was surprised by this remark and she couldn't really figure out why this mysterious woman thought that she was in a relationship. How could she be taken then? And if she was honest with herself she appreciated the attention that she was receiving from Mark.

Allison didn't dwell on Mama Marge's remark any longer: "Eh... as I was saying… now I work at Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in the diagnostics department for Dr. House..."

Mama Marge nodded along as Allison told her story. On the odd occasion she would chime up and ask questions on her own but mostly, Allison talked and talked and talked. And somehow she was feeling better and better as she talked about her life as it had been and as it was now and how she imagined it to go on. Mama Marge just listened. Allison wondered at some point during her tale if it was so wise to tell a complete stranger who was supposed to help her with this mentoring programme the story of her life but it felt somehow right. And somehow Allison knew that Mama Marge would not judge her and would not betray the confidence she put into her. She just knew.

After Allison had told her story, Mama Marge talked about her experience as a mentor. She told Allison short anecdotes and made her laugh. But she also talked about the kids who joined the programme with a difficult task or who had trouble staying in the programme.

In the end, Allison left the office with a form to fill out and the request to hand in two references that would vouch for her ability to mentor young kids. The papers weighed heavily in her hands. They were a kind of treasure that would help her to find a new focus in the chaos that was called her life.

"So, how did it go?" Mark welcomed her back into the front room and smiled at her.

Allison nodded enthusiastically. "I think it went well. Mama Marge gave me the forms to fill out and then I'm almost ready to get started."

Mark nodded his head, "Yes, we only need two references. You don't have to fill out the forms right now. You can bring them in when you hand in the references. It... would be nice if you could give me your phone number though. Just in case there are some questions." Mark added quickly, blushing badly.

Allison remembered the words that Mama Marge had told her: _Don't make him fall for you_. But it was very nice that a good-looking man actually paid her some kind of attention. Positive attention. House definitely paid her attention; however, it was more of a bad kind. House played the games he loved so with her. His attention was almost an obsession. All the more why Allison enjoyed the light flirting with Mark.

She was about to search for her business card when from the corner of her eye she saw Mama Marge standing in the door to her office shaking her head no with a very sad expression on her face.

"You know what, Mark, I will fill out the forms right now. It's no trouble. Can I take a seat over here?" She asked, motioning with her hand to a seating area in the far corner of the room. This was a compromise. Allison was able to let him know her number while on the other hand she didn't per se give it to him personally and, therefore, wasn't just inviting him to call her.

She sat down and began to fill out the forms.

Mark still made small talk with her. He asked primarily about her decision to join the programme because it was their common ground. He also told her about his time as a Little and now as a Big. Similar to Mama Marge, he shared a few amusing anecdotes but only anecdotes, nothing too in-depth. Mark seemed to smile even bigger when she was laughing and smiling and giggling about his stories.

When Allison Cameron left the registration office that day, she felt much lighter and much more in sync with herself. It definitely was a good decision to come here, she decided as she walked the streets of Princeton through the crisp autumn air.


	2. Chapter 2

_Well, it's been some time since I uploaded the first chapter. But yes, there is finally a second chapter and additional chapters are in preparation. Real life has kept me busy recently but now I have some time off to look after my other little projects.  
_

_I would like to thank my betas Melissa, diagnosticmad aka Gina and alterangirl. They did a brilliant job. Their ideas have been very challenging and, I hope, they have improved my writing. Any further mistakes are mine and mine only. Although they all mentioned that I'm using the "wrong" spelling, I'm going to stick with the British English spelling._

_Please read and review. I am always open for constructive criticism. But, please, no flames, as one can hardly learn from them.  
_

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own** House, M.D. **nor do I want to profit from this in any way.  
__  
_

* * *

**Big Sister, Little Favour**

**_Chapter 2_**

A few days after Allison Cameron's very first trip to the BBBS office, she found herself sitting in the conference room of the Diagnostics Department of Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital trying to focus on the on-going differential diagnosis of their latest patient. Unfortunately, she was having a harder time concentrating than usual. Her thoughts were with her application as a Big Sister. She had contacted her old professor from college who had been a mentor for her in her last year there after everything in her life had gone haywire for a time after her husband's death. He had supported her career, helping her gain her internship at the well-known Mayo Clinic. He was more than willing to write a reference for her. She had tutored some of his students who had been in her first or second semester attending some of his classes. Therefore, he was also able to comment on her ability to mentor.

The second reference was far more tricky.

Anything going before her time at the college seemed to be irrelevant because she had been a teen herself. Her internship at the Mayo Clinic had been successful but it seemed even longer ago than university. Furthermore, she was the one being mentored at the time and not the other way around.

That left only her current job at Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital.

Asking House.

Not an option.

Cameron wasn't stupid. That would have been an imminent ticket to being scrutinized as a new kind of disease. Not that it wasn't a compliment considering House's dedication to solving a puzzle, but Cameron also knew that sometimes even House's patients got worse, even close to dying. And she definitely didn't want to go there. He had hurt her plenty of times already. No need to give him more ammunition.

That left Wilson or Cuddy.

Wilson was soon crossed off Cameron's mental white board. There were just too many potential problems with asking Wilson. Too close to House. Too weak if it came to House's questioning. She might as well ask House instead. It would be just the same.

That led her to the only conclusion: She had to ask Cuddy. Ugh.

Suddenly there was silence in the conference room. That caught Cameron's attention as there had been a lot of discussing going on about the new patient. She blinked a few times and looked around until her gaze met House's who was slightly bent forward and looking straight at her. She jumped involuntarily in her seat as she was surprised by his intense scrutiny.

"Hello! Dr. Cameron! Anybody home?" House mocked her.

"I never left," Cameron argued.

"Really?" House acted surprised, "Weeeell, it could have been an _astral projection_. You know, like on Charmed. You are here but not really. So where were you?"

Cameron just rolled her eyes at him, "Get on with it, House. What tests should we do on our patient?"

"Why don't you tell us, Cameron. After all, you have been here the whole time." House sat and put his feet up on the conference table while twirling his cane around.

Cameron glanced quickly at the white board and rattled their standards of, "Full blood work, tox, MRI and LP."

"I wonder, Dr. Cameron, do you really think that we should put our patient through the pain of a lumbar puncture at this point of our diagnosis?" House was gloating, she just knew it.

From the corner of her eye she could see Foreman nod his head slightly, which let her to answer with a faint, "Yes."

House stood back up and headed for his office, "Very well, you heard the lady. Tox, MRI and LP. Off you go, my little ducklings."

Once Cameron, Foreman and Chase had left the conference room, the Australian commented on Allison's daze, "Jeez, Cameron, you got off lucky. If it had been me I would have been damned to do House's clinic hours for weeks to come." He said, only mildly whining.

Cameron just sighed at the total predictability of Chase's comment. "Well, it takes more than nice hair to work your charms on House, Chase. You should know that by now."

Chase whooped at the obvious reaction from Cameron. "Wooh, it's not only pretty but also smart."

Cameron's patience was quickly wearing down. "It? What could you ever be talking about?"

Before Chase was able to do more damage, Foreman intervened. "Right. As nice as it is to watch this lovely exchange of pleasantries, let's see who's gonna do what?"

"I'll do the blood work and tox. You two can knock yourselves out with the LP and the MRI. I'll just get a blood sample and then I'm off to the lab," Cameron said, handing out assignments.

Cameron was already heading straight for the patient's room, when Foreman hit Chase with a folder over the head: "Well done... Let's go and get a timeslot for the MRI and then we can get the lumbar puncture done."

_MDMDMDMDMD _

Cameron had been able to run several tests on the blood when her pager went off. It was House paging a "911 – my office" to her. It actually surprised her that it took him so long to page her. He was House. He solved puzzles. And to no extent could he be satisfied with the answer about her state of mind after she zoned out.

Nevertheless, she was busy in the middle of a test. He had to wait until it was finished.

A little while later, she was alternately looking through a microscope and scribbling down notes. She was so preoccupied that she didn't hear the door to the lab open. But she did hear the familiar sound of a heavy footstep, accompanied by the sound of a cane hitting the floor. House didn't want to wait until she came to him and, obviously, whatever he wanted was even more important than the joy of pestering her with tons of pages.

"I paged you." He grunted at her more than anything else.

"I'm busy" was her short response before she tended to her task again.

She heard how House continued his way through the lab to the other end. She felt how he brushed past her back. As Cameron glanced into the microscope, she saw the all to familiar red blood cells as flying discs.

Once he got comfortable on one of the lab stools, House tapped his cane. Although she still didn't have to turn around, Cameron was able to see his grimace in her mind's eye, almost as if she would have been looking at him.

"That was the second time today that you didn't fulfil your duties with your usual vigour," he said in a gruff tone of voice.

"Sometimes I can have a bad day. I'm sure you know what I am talking about, Dr. House." Cameron responded to his criticism.

"Huh. You're not crying over centrifuges again, are you?" House asked.

That remark actually made her turn around. It was close enough to being a snide remark but still something that showed Cameron concern. She quickly scanned his demeanour before she answered, "No House. I am not crying over centrifuges or anything else. I'm just having a bad day. Please allow me one bad day considering you maybe have one day per month that isn't bad."

House looked at her with his crystal clear blue eyes. They were always so penetrating. No possibility of hiding anything from those eyes. Once he was satisfied with whatever he was looking for, he gave her a sharp nod. "Right. I'll allow you one bad day."

Cameron sighed in relief. That was easier than she thought it would be. It's not like she actually had a bad day. She was just too preoccupied with other things, mainly, finding a suitable person who could write her a reference for the Big Sister programme. She gave House a weak smile before she turned back to the lab equipment.

Once House had reached the door again, he turned around one last time, "Oh, and if you are already having a bad day, you won't mind doing my clinic hours for me. No need to turn my only good day into another bad day. That month would really suck." His voice was dripping with sarcasm.

Cameron knew she had been had. And she also knew that she would suffer for the weakness that she showed today for several days or even weeks to come. Obviously pretty hair and charm weren't enough to deter House from a mission – especially his ever consuming mission to escape clinic hours.

Cameron sighed once more before she finally turned her attention back to the blood tests. Luckily she had already filled in her clinic hours for the week. At least being in the clinic would allow her to avoid Chase, Foreman and House. No need to get into the line of fire if there was a chance to dodge it for some time.

After she had finished the blood work and the tox screen which were both negative and inconclusive for whatever she had tested, she stayed in the lab area. She waited until she knew that House would be off pestering Wilson into buying him lunch and dropped the reports on his desk before leaving to go to the cafeteria to buy her lunch.

In one corner of the cafeteria she saw House eating with Dr. Wilson. House was repeatedly nicking something from his best friend's plate. Wilson, on the other hand, was struggling with himself to look either annoyed or absolutely not bothered by the rudeness of the diagnostician. Luckily House was sitting with his back to her so she might actually be able to get away from here without being spotted by him.

However, she located Foreman and Chase at another table at the opposite side of the canteen, and she hoped her luck would hold out. Unfortunately for her, Chase had seen her and was waving at her to join them. She signalled them that she would head outside which was exactly where she went once she had got her hands on some food.

Outside she reflected about the things that were happening. She couldn't understand how she was suddenly forced as an outsider just because she had been daydreaming this morning. She had to admit to herself that it was partly her fault. She shouldn't have snapped at Chase after his insinuations in regard to House's soft spot for her but she really didn't want anybody to find out what was going on in her life at the moment.

The idea to become a big sister was something that she wanted to keep to herself for as long as possible. The whole year, her second at Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, had been rough. The interlude with Chase, the HIV scare, the fact that Stacy had turned up again and had become House's sole obsession...

She distinctively remembered telling House that she was happy for him. She also distinctively remembered telling House that she would set him free. Everything had been about him and his feelings. But in that moment she had forgotten her own.

Once she had been at home that evening, Cameron hadn't been able to keep the tears anymore. She had cried the better part of that evening. She had to give up her feelings for House otherwise she would break. She had another evening that had been similar to this after finding out that Stacy would stay for some time.

Even now that the ice queen, which was as Cameron came to call her, was gone again, Allison couldn't invest her feelings into House again. She was bound to be disappointed again.

Snapping out of her reverie she basked in the atmosphere of the warm autumn day. The sun was trying to graze the surface of the earth with a few last golden beams. Cameron enjoyed her time outside and took the time to re-charge her batteries. She needed something new to focus on. The idea of tutoring another person appealed to her. Spending time with somebody outside of her work seemed to just as enticing.

She finally settled her mind on who she could ask for her second reference. Although she didn't always agree with Dr. Cuddy's medical opinion, she respected her as the person who was running the hospital efficiently. And, on an even happier note, she was able to stand up to House. Cameron decided that she would ask Dr. Cuddy after she has clocked in her boss's clinic hours.

Before she was able to get up and go back inside to start in the clinic, Chase plopped down on the opposite side of the table and Foreman loomed next to her side. "Sorry," Chase mumbled keeping his head down, "didn't mean to pry this morning."

Cameron just rolled her eyes. "Forget it, Chase, you just like the fact that somebody else was teased by House and not yourself."

Chase bopped his head at that: "Yep. True." Then he made eye contact with Cameron "Truce?" That made Cameron smile and she nodded at his suggestion.

"Sooo, now that we cleared that... Chase and I wanna go for drinks tomorrow after work. Do you want to join us? Complaining about House and all?" Foreman chimed in.

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea," Cameron admitted.

Once they were all heading back into the hospital, Cameron spoke one last time, "We can talk about House and his latest quirks but you still won't find out what I was thinking about in the morning."

Chase and Foreman stalled behind her. "Come on, Cameron...," she heard Chase whine. She had to smile at herself. If anything she had learned plenty from House in the subtle art of manipulation.

After finishing her or better House's clinic hours, she headed straight for Dr. Lisa Cuddy's office and was immediately allowed to enter. Cuddy was sitting behind her desk doing some kind of paper work.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Dr. Cuddy," Allison began, "but could you write me a reference, please?"

Cuddy stopped her writing at once and looked at her in surprise: "You want to leave us? Okay... I bite... what has he done this time?"

"No, no, it's nothing like that," Cameron had to smile at the immediate conclusion. "It's in another matter... and rather personal."

Dr. Cuddy seemed to be even more interested in that.


	3. Chapter 3

_I must admit that I'm a little bit in doubt about this chapter but it is necessary to set up the story between Cameron and House. Please bear with me... _

_Thanks to diagnosticmad aka Gina for her beta-ing. Her help is greatly appreciated and her ideas and comments are spot on. Any remaining mistakes are mine and mine only. _

_Please read and review. I am always open for constructive criticism. But, please, no flames, as one can hardly learn from them.  
_

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own** House, M.D. **nor do I want to profit from this in any way._

* * *

**Big Sister, Little Favour **

**_Chapter 3_**

There was not a lot that Allison could do after she had handed in her references to the agency. Her background check-up would take as long as it would take. She just had to wait until the agency

called her up. She was keen on meeting her Little Sister. Even though she was accostomed to long waiting times due to her job, she was getting more and more anxious about this new prospect in her life. She found herself surfing the internet for things she could do with her Little Sister: Museums, art galleries, the movies, parks and picnics, maybe theatre.

The evening out with the boys came just at the right time for Allison to take her mind off this whole waiting experience. It could only be to her advantage.

She met the boys at a pub on the way from the hospital to her home which just suited her fine. She arrived before Foreman and Chase. The pub was a cosy, only dimly lit in the basement of one of Princeton's old buildings. There were several alcoves and the booths were elegantly connected to one another. The bar was the most prominent feature in the pub. It was in the middle of the room and people were able to order from every side of the room. It was a very long and narrow bar fitted right into the middle of all the tables. It divided the long-stretched room but still allowed people to socialize at the bar. Once she had picked a booth, she ordered a Gin Tonic. Allison was looking forward to the slight buzz. Luckily, she had walked to the bar. A cab would suit her on her way back home.

Eventually she was joined first by Foreman and a little later by Chase. They enjoyed their time together. It was always good to re-cap what had happened in the previous week or two, to exchange their views on the different diseases they had encountered or to mouth off about House's most recent antics.

Allison was enjoying her Gin Tonics and the good conversation. They had been in the pub for nearly three hours. However, she was surprised when she excused herself to the restroom. On her way back to their table, she was sidetracked by a pair of warm brown eyes watching her from one of the alcoves, and a friendly "Hello, Allison!"

Above all the people Allison had to meet on her night out with her colleagues, it had to be Mark. She liked him but she couldn't forget what Mama Marge had told her during her first time at the agency. Allison always enjoyed her chats with Mark when she either called the office for an update or when she had dropped off the references. Most of the time, it was Mark who answered. Nevertheless, she was out with her colleagues, and she really desperately wanted to separate her work life from that new aspect of her private life. But being the friendly person she was, she answered warmly: "Mark, how good to see you. This is not the usual place where we meet."

Mark chuckled slightly: "No it's not. By any means, are you surprised to see me in these sinful surroundings? I could say the same about you!"

"What? Hasn't the background check turned up my dark secrets, yet? I have been wondering when I would get the phone call telling me that I would not be suitable for the programme," Allison replied cheekily.

"I am sure you will receive a phone call very soon... just not to tell you that you aren't suitable. I think you will soon hear from Mama Marge about positive feedback." Mark amended to her snide remark.

Allison wondered shortly why he couldn't just banter back. A quality she had come to value in House. Nevertheless, her face lit up in a radiant smile: "That's wonderful. I am really anxious to meet my Little."

Mark flashed a full grin back at her: "So, is this the place where you usually live out your dark secrets?"

"Sometimes my colleagues and I come here after work, just to unwind and relax for a little while. That's as dark as this secret goes," Allison explained, "How about you? I don't think I have ever seen you here before?" she probed now.

Mark shrugged his shoulders. "Well, it is the same really. We sometimes go out after work. Tonight we're here for the first time."

He nodded his head into the direction of a nearby booth behind Allison's back. She looked around, hoping that she might spot a face that looked familiar to her from the registration office. But she had never seen any of the people that were with him in the bar, only realizing then that she was the center of attention. Mark was accompanied by a group of six people, only two of them being women. One of them, a petite blonde one, was spotting a very evil eye on Allison. The men, on the other hand, looked at her appreciative. "Oh, do they all work for Big Brothers / Big Sisters?"

Mark laughed at that.

"No. I only work there voluntarily. These are my colleagues from my day-time job." He drew out the last bit like it was a bad thing and shouldn't be talked about.

Allison laughed lightly at that. "I never really realised that you work outside the registration office. I just always linked you to that place. What do you do when you aren't there?"

"I'm a journalist," Mark told her, "Sometimes there are times when I don't have to be in the office. I usually spend that time with the BBBS programme."

"A journalist? Wow, I would never have guessed. What do you normally write about?" Allison's interest was certainly piqued. It was a job that she didn't expect. Even though it was not difficult to see this man as a star reporter, she wondered if she had ever read any of his articles.

"I usually report about social events that are being held around Princeton. Mostly things that are happening at the university. There are so many interesting people out there. They can be honored or present their research. Sometimes you learn about things that are actually valuable to fight for. I was just recently at the Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital to write about a benefit for cancer research. That's where you work, isn't it?"

"Yes, that's true. I actually attended that particular event... shortly." Allison added as an afterthought, remembering the case of young Ian who they were just only able to save that night, a night that Allison liked to think back with fond memories. It was one of the few times that House actually showed his appreciation for her as a woman. Everything else – good and bad – that happened that night fades away if she just thinks of House's face.

It was scary that she was so easily distracted by House even though he wasn't with them in the bar right now and she was talking to a young man who was clearly interested in pursuing her. She explained her absence at Mark's questioning face: "We had to deal with an emergency. A patient fought for his life while the benefit was still in full swing."

"Wow, I didn't realize that your job was so demanding. I can't believe that you couldn't attend a benefit at your own hospital," Mark wondered.

"Sometimes we don't have a lot of time to figure out what is wrong with the patient," Allison explained. "That is the most challenging part about diagnostics and the most frustrating, as well. But I work for one of the most recognised diagnosticians in the world, Dr. House."

"I have heard about Dr. House. They talked about him at a dinner banquet at the Mercer. Unfortunately, it sounded like he had a bit of a temper," Mark's voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, only to wink his remark off.

Allison laughed lightly at that: "He is... complicated. Nevertheless, a brilliant doctor. Being an intern in his department equals an Olympic gold medal or and Oscar for doctors."

"You must be able to tell many stories about patients and their diseases. Maybe we could set up an interview with you and your boss in order to tell your stories. Janet over there writes a series on remarkable personalities involved in the academic life at Princeton. You are working at a teaching hospital. That kinda fits the profile," Mark babbled on while pointing at the blonde petit among his colleagues. Janet was still glaring at Allison.

"I don't know, Mark. My boss is not someone who... My boss lacks certain social skills. If there is any way around doing politics at the hospital he will. I don't think he will be interested in an interview," Allison tried to steer clear of a disaster. She didn't want Mark anywhere near the hospital. There was no way that she would let House, the hospital, her work or her colleagues come between her and her "little" project.

Speaking of such, she looked past Mark to Foreman and Chase. They were definitely observing her and Mark. Chase was alternating from turning around to look at them and talking to Foreman on the opposite side of the booth. They were both smiling. It was the smile of someone who had the upper hand. She hated that part about life in the diagnostics department. They were always trying to find some leverage against each other. Something so that they would be able to fight House off of their own trail, any consideration that might motivate House annoying another duckling.

Mark realised that she was deep in thought and looking somewhere else. He turned around and tried to spot the source of her absentmindedness. He easily spotted the two men who were clearly amused by his conversation with Allison. He turned back to look at her and tried to catch her attention, "Hey."

Once he had Allison's attention he continued, "Are they your friends?" He nodded in the direction of Chase and Foreman.

Allison's smile was tight. "Hardly friends, I'm out with my colleagues. But yes, that's them. We had a tough case this week. This is our way to unwind and recap what we learned during the week. And, of course, to complain about our boss. We are pretty good at doing that." Allison added in a low voice, leaning slightly towards Mark and holding up a hand to intensify the secretive nature of her statement.

Mark laughed lightly and mimicked her motions, "Well, then, I better let you get back to your colleagues then, Dr Allison." He winked at her.

"I think you better do, Mr Heath." Allison shot back at him. "It was good seeing you, Mark," Allison bid her good-bye.

"Yes, it was. Enjoy the rest of your evening, Allison. I guess, I'll see you around." Mark responded.

"Thanks, you too. It was nice talking to you," Allison finished their conversation and went to Foreman and Chase. On the short walk over to their booth she willed her mental walls to go up. No she wouldn't let their unavoidable mocking get to her.

"Well, well, well, Dr Cameron!" Chase welcomed her back, "Is there something you haven't been telling us? Is he the reason for your day-dreaming a few days ago?" Chase moved up further down the booth in order to make some space for his female colleague.

Allison just rolled her eyes. Yes, indeed, she did see it coming. It was also a given that Chase and his big mouth would be the first to start it. "Chase," she began, "there are many things I don't tell you. And there are even more things I don't think you or anybody else at the hospital need to know."

"Come on, Cameron!" Foreman chirped in. "We are all friends! Why don't you tell us his story?"

Allison couldn't believe it. She didn't want their evening to end in a big brawl but that seemed to be the way it was heading. "His story is not for me to tell and, quite frankly, any of your business. My _colleagues_ don't need to know anything that is going on in my life outside of the hospital." Allison was still not completely over Foreman's actions over the journal article. She most certainly wasn't pleased about his remarks about not being friends. And Foreman was clever enough to pick up on her annoyance, emptying half of his beer in one go.

Unfortunately, Chase was as clueless as ever. He didn't pick up on any tension between his colleagues. He tried again to get more information from Cameron, "Cameron, come on, it's not as if you are telling this to House. It's us! Your working mates! Foreman and Chase!"

Foreman choked on his drink, knowing full well that Chase had opened the perfect closing line for Cameron: "Yes, Robert. You are absolutely right. You are my working mate. And I do put stress on "working" here! Thank you for proving my point." Cameron also ex-ed her drink and waved to the waitress. There was no way that she would let Chase allow her evening to turn bad.

"So when do you think House knew what our patient had ...?" Foreman subtly changed the topic, hoping that Chase would get the hint.

Cameron was grateful for Foreman's attempt. She just wanted to protect her privacy, just as long as none of her colleagues at the diagnostics department knew about her ambitions into the Big Sister world. She eagerly replied to Foreman's question, knowing full well that her answer would raise an argument. Polarizing would help to change the topic. Chase got the hint.

The rest of the evening followed its normal course. They drank and argued and laughed. They were three comrades together living under the dominion of their cranky boss, Dr. Gregory House.


	4. Chapter 4

_Yeah, another chapter finished._

_Thanks to diagnosticmad aka Gina for her beta-ing. Her help is greatly appreciated and her ideas and comments are spot on. Any remaining mistakes are mine and mine only. _

_Please read and review. I am always open for constructive criticism. But, please, no flames, as one can hardly learn from them.  
_

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own** House, M.D. **nor do I want to profit from this in any way.  
_

* * *

**Big Sister, Little Favour **

**_Chapter 4_**

It was a white and cold Wednesday in February. Snow had been falling the last couple of days and covered Princeton with a thick layer muffling most noises, when Cameron was contemplating her situation in regard to her work as well as her new project of becoming a Big Sister. Cameron sighed deeply. Wednesday was always the worst day in the week. Even though half the week was already over, the rest was still to come. Everyone of the diagnostics team was usually on a low down on Wednesday. There was no case at the moment. There hadn't been a case since last Thursday when they released their latest patient cured and bound to live a long happy life.

The past few weeks had flown by. Cameron hardly realised that so much time had passed since their outing in the pub. Chase and Foreman had never mentioned anything that had happened that night. They obviously knew better than to bring up the stranger Cameron had talked to, at least so far. She knew better than to expect them to keep that knowledge quiet for much longer.

Leverage. In an environment such as the diagnostics department it can help deflecting any trouble.

Give House a new puzzle to solve, something that doesn't involve your own problems.

The mysterious man from the pub was a wild card for the two male fellows under House's reign. They knew and had commented repeatedly on the attraction between their boss and their colleague, even though they mocked Cameron about her infatuation they couldn't deny that at least some of the attraction was mutual.

It was business as usual. House was in his office watching General Hospital with the blinds open, probably daring Cuddy to come in and chase him to do some actual work. Chase was in the clinic doing House's clinic hours. Foreman was sitting in the conference room reading a medical journal while Cameron herself was seated at her little desk keeping House's paperwork up to date, answering his emails and sorting through dozens of letters asking for a consult of the great Dr. Gregory House. She had had to fish them out of the bin because House had thrown the unopened envelopes away – as usual.

It was then that her mobile phone rang.

"Hello," Cameron answered on the second ring.

"Hello Allison. It's Mama Marge," the soothingly deep voice boomed over the receiver.

Cameron nearly dropped her phone because she was so excited that she finally heard something from the Big Sister programme.

"Oh, hello there. How are you?" Cameron's excitement had definitely raised Foreman's interest, who had abandoned his article for a much more interesting show. House's peers always constantly strived for leverage.

Cameron needed some privacy. She left the conference room and wandered down the corridor towards the women's locker rooms hoping that she would be safe from her colleagues prying eyes and ears. It was a couple of hours into the first shift of the day. The nurses, interns and doctors would be busy tending their patients – as long as their boss's name wasn't Gregory House.

"I'm fine, Allison. How are you? You sound stressed. Did I call at an unfortunate time?" Mama Marge picked up Cameron's question.

While pushing the door to the dimly lit locker room open, Cameron answered, "No, no. I'm fine. I'm just at work and trying to find a quiet place to talk to you, which I found." She added after quickly scanning the stalls and adjourning shower rooms, convincing herself that she was alone. "What can I do for you, Mama Marge?" Cameron sat down on one of the benches in the centre of the locker room, turning her back to the door and effectively blocking out any new arrivals.

"What _you_ can do for me?" Mama Marge laughed heartedly, "We finished our background check and are very satisfied with its outcome. It's time to go one step further in becoming a Big Sister."

"Great," Cameron answered excitedly. "What do I have to do?"

"You will need to come down to the office in order to fill out some additional paperwork." Mama Marged explained the further proceedings to Cameron. "We need to find the most suitable candidate to be your Little Sister. Therefore we need to get as much information about your activities as we can get. We will match your interests with the possible Little Sisters to find the right one for you and, of course, vice versa. After all, it is about the children."

"Right, I will try and come to your office as soon as my work allows me to pop by." Cameron nodded her agreement. There weren't any cases, maybe she could convince House to let her go early. She could come up with a headache or menstruation pain. Tricky, because House was House and a very perceptive but it was always worth a try.

"We are looking forward to seeing you again, Allison." Mama Marge wrapped up their conversation.

Cameron had to smile at that, "So am I. I'll see you soon then. Bye."

After Mama Marge had said her good-byes, Cameron snapped her mobile phone close. She was really looking forward to going back to the office. The welcome she had received there made it easy for her to miss the warmth that this place had to offer.

Just that moment the door to the locker room swung open and revealed two nurses that Cameron recognised from the oncology ward. They were chatting amiably and nodding their hellos towards the young brunette doctor. The careless talk about the latest George Clooney movie gave Cameron a feeling of foreshadowing envisioning herself and her Little Sister in cinemas or on her couch with a big box of popcorn watching a sappy old romantic comedy.

Cameron quickly left the locker room and intended to return to the conference room. Back in the harsh light of the hospital corridor she was immediately brought back into reality when she nearly stumbled over her boss who was casually leaning against the wall just outside the locker room. It was hard to believe but she had almost forgotten about him. Obviously her call was also a better distraction for the great Dr. House than General Hospital. She had to sigh and roll her eyes at House's curious behaviour wondering if he had heard anything of her conversation with Mama Marge.

"Oops," House feigned ignorance. "I didn't see you going into the locker room. I'm just waiting for my hookers to lose their nurse costumes and to put on their bondage gear for our kinky games." House was waggling his eyebrows at his indecent suggestion.

"Don't let them wait on my account," Cameron answered, just as ignorant as House had started his charade.

She tried everything to move past House without having to answer his real curiosity. She was almost out of the way – almost – when she felt House snatching her right forearm with his cane. He looked at her as if she was a piece under the microscope. "Tell me, Dr. Cameron. What do you have to do?" House re-phrased her question to Mama Marge during their telephone conversation.

"Well, Dr. House, as my boss, you would have to tell me what I have to do," Cameron tried to evade his question. "Due to the lack of a patient, I have been doing _your_ paperwork. Do you have any other tasks for me?" She dared him and she knew it.

"Ah..." House squint his eyes at her. Cameron held their eye contact never backing down from his challenging gaze.

"Well, then, Dr. Cameron, I don't want to keep you from my work." House finally said. But before he actually let her go he pulled her even closer to him, harshly whispering in her ear. "I don't know whose office you talked about but if you think of leaving again, don't expect me to go on another date with you."

Cameron stared blankly at him and blinked a few times.

"Do you understand me, Cameron? Don't even think about leaving again." House's expression shifted for a brief moment. If Cameron didn't know better, she would think that there was a moment of utter helplessness and fear reflected in his eyes. But that couldn't be because he was House. House didn't get attached to anyone. House didn't care about anyone or anything.

"Don't worry. I have no intention of leaving here until you throw me out, House." Cameron said, waiting for House's obvious signs of relief until she continued, "or until you force me to resign."

With these words Cameron broke free of House's hold on her and backed slowly away from her boss while keeping an eye on him. Once she had put enough distance between them, she shook her head in resignation, turned around and hurried back to the conference room.

Upon entering through the glass door, Foreman once again abandoned his magazine to look at his colleague. "Hey there, Cameron," he said casually. "Who was on the phone?"

Cameron had still been contemplating House's behaviour, when Foreman asked her the question and needed a minute to focus on the fellow doctor. "Hi Foreman. It's none of your business to whom I talked on the phone. It doesn't matter for work, so it shouldn't matter to you." She smiled tightly at him and sat back down at her desk to continue working on House's paperwork.

"Was it maybe the dark haired hunk from the pub a few weeks ago? The one, you were so tight-lipped about?" Obviously, Foreman didn't want to leave Cameron alone.

Cameron slumped her shoulders and sighed heavily. There it was, leverage. Fortunately, House hadn't returned to the diagnostics department yet. "Even if it were the dark haired hunk as you called him, it still wouldn't be any of your business, Dr. Foreman."

She stared her colleague down until he grumbled, "Just asking." Disgruntled, Foreman returned to his magazine while Cameron tried to concentrate on answering House's latest requests for a consult.

After the little interlude with House it had definitely become more difficult to concentrate on the task at hand. There were so many emotions and questions coursing through her mind. On the one hand, she had to think about the next step in the Big Brother / Big Sister programme. What an unbelievable joy it had been when Mama Marge had told her that she could go ahead with becoming a Big Sister. And then, on the other hand, there was the contrast of House already trying to stumble unconsciously into that part of her life.

That man could infuriate her so much with his stubborn streak and constant striving after gossip and information that could most certainly be used against you. She was proud of herself that she hadn't lost her temper when House questioned her about "the office" she had talked about. For all she cared, he could think that she might be interested in changing jobs. Maybe she would benefit from his suspicion and would be treated nicer than usual.

While she was reading a case file of one of the requests for consult, Chase came back into the office, slumping straight down onto the nearest chair, "Bloody clinic, bloody patients, bloody everything." He pressed his hands against his face.

Just then Cameron looked up and took in Chase's appearance. He had changed into some rumpled shirt and a new white lab coat, this one spotting his insignia on its left breast pocket. From experience, Cameron knew that he would only wear this particular lab coat when he just couldn't avoid it. It had been his father's present when Chase qualified as a doctor. Just out of principle he wouldn't and couldn't wear something that was given to him by his father. Even after his father's death, Chase couldn't bear to be reminded of him in any way. It seemed as if he was furious with his dad not only for abandoning him during his childhood but also for dying without actually saying good-bye.

"What happened, Chase?" Foreman asked the Australian.

"I needed to change, twice, actually. There's this nasty stomach bug that's going around and I treated at least a dozen patients spotting the symptoms. Two of them even got the chance to empty everything out onto me. I had to go through the depths of my locker to find some really old clothes that I left here months ago." Chase always complained about the special little perks of clinic duty. He then smelled dramatically at his shirt and made disgusting noises. "Bah. They even smell as rumpled as they look."

Cameron had to laugh lightly at that. Sometimes Chase was just too much of a baby. "It's not funny, Cameron. It was like flooding down there! That is disgusting. I'm sure the sour sweet smell is going to linger in Exam Room 3 for a little while longer," Chase went on, "I can only recommend that during this week you should only request one of the other exam rooms. It has to be better."

"Alright," Cameron conceded and turned her attention back to the case file in front of her, trying to blank out Chase's complaining.

Soon everything returned to normal. Cameron was still working at her desk, Foreman was reading his magazines and Chase had taken to solving a crossword puzzle. House hadn't been seen since Cameron had left the conference room to answer her call.

The only other incident that afternoon occurred when Dr. Cuddy came into the conference room looking for their boss. She was steaming once again and House was really better off to avoid her. Cameron, on the other hand, saw her chance at leaving work early. As Dr. Cuddy had almost left as quickly as she had come into the conference room rambling about House, Cameron scrambled quickly after her and caught up to her in the hallway.

"Dr. Cuddy, can I just ask you a quick question, please?" Cameron launched ahead.

Cuddy faltered in her steps and turned around to look at the young brunette doctor. "Yes, just make it quick, Cameron."

"As my boss seems to be missing this afternoon and we don't have a case-" That was as far as Cameron got before Cuddy started to ramble again.

"I can't believe it. Four highly qualified doctors. I pay them good money. And House doesn't even bother to look for a case."

"Well, Dr. Cuddy, I was just wondering if, once I finished House's correspondence, I could leave work early today. It's for... you know. They need me to fill in some more forms or something." Cameron quickly rushed the words out, stressing that she was actually a member of the diagnostics department that did something resembling work that she could get paid for, even though she was a fellow and not a secretary.

"Oh, yeah." it dawned on Cuddy what Cameron was talking about, "Sure, go ahead. If House actually turns back up again and wants to give you a hard time about leaving early, just send him to me and I'll sort him out." Cuddy was already turning around again and started power-walking down the corridor before Cameron could even thank her.

With a slight spring in her steps, she returned to the conference room. This seemed to be a Wednesday that ended on a better note than most of them.


	5. Chapter 5

_Right, it's finally done. Here is chapter 5. Unfortunately, it will take some time until I can write the next chapter, mostly because my RL job is very demanding at the moment. Please bear with me. This story will continue. _

_Thanks to diagnosticmad aka Gina for her beta-ing. Her help is greatly appreciated and her ideas and comments are spot on. Any remaining mistakes are mine and mine only. _

_Please read and review. I am always open for constructive criticism. But, please, no flames, as one can hardly learn from them.  
_

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own** House, M.D. **nor do I want to profit from this in any way. _

* * *

**Big Sister, Little Favour **

**_Chapter 5_**

Outside Cameron's apartment a terrible snow storm was blazing. In the dim twilight of the evening the snow's shadow was nearly darkening her vision. Cameron was sitting on her couch in her living room. She enjoyed lounging on her settee, all cuddled up in her favourite iridescent flannel blanket with a steaming cup of hot cocoa in front of her. The smell in itself was calming and soothing. Cameron was perfectly content sitting there while outside the weather was playing havoc.

Indeed, last Wednesday she left work early to pop by the Big Brother Big Sister office. Luckily, her boss House hadn't turned up the remainder of the afternoon. She had had no interest in chatting with him after the incident in front of the locker room.

The following days she had caught him watching her several times. Sometimes he would hold her gaze and other times he would divert his eyes immediately. She didn't know what to make of it. Had he really been scared of the thought that Cameron might leave again? She didn't want to imagine it. She would only get hurt again. House had that quality about him, hurting others in order to keep the upper hand.

That Wednesday, after a long talk with Mama Marge, she left the office with a bundle of questionnaires inquiring into her interests and the vitals of her character.

Today was Saturday. In contrast to the beginning of the week the last two days had been very exhausting. The patient of the week, a dear 65-year old recently retired lawyer, came in early Thursday morning. House and his team soon figured out what was wrong with her. Unfortunately, the prognosis was devastating not only to the patient but also to Cameron who had become quite fond of the old lady. The lawyer had dedicated her life to help the innocent and spent the last hours of her life alone. She had been slowly poisoned by lead. The lawyer's fondness of old pottery which uses lead to some degree, with help from apple juice, had slowly poisoned her.

Cameron had stayed in the hospital since Thursday then and had only returned to her flat in the early hours of Saturday. After a good and restful sleep, she had finally settled down to fill out the questionnaires for the Big Sister programme, determined even more to get a life outside her work as she still remembered the haunted expression of their patient when she had told Cameron of all the plans she had had for her life after her retirement: trips to Europe to see old cultures like the Greek and Roman historic sites, visiting the pyramids of Egypt, learning to play golf, planting a tree and finding the man she fell in love with 40 years ago and never allowed herself to be with, hoping beyond hope to have some time together. Plainly, she wanted to catch up on lost chances

_Favourite subject in school?  
Favourite book?  
Hobbies?_

While filling out the questionnaires, Cameron was wondering whether all the answers had to match to her Little Sister. Was there anybody out there who had the same tastes?

Cameron felt a familiar flutter in her stomach. She was looking forward to having somebody to spend time with and give a certain amount of care and guidance.

The storm outside had stopped and the sun was gone now but the white snow still reflected the lights from the streetlamps. Cameron enjoyed the cosy atmosphere for a few moments before she deeply sighed and returned her attention to the questionnaires.

Some time later she put the completed forms back into a folder when there was a knock on her door. She didn't expect anybody, especially not in this weather. She put the folder on her desk and went to her door. The visitor seemed to be impatient as he or she started tapping on the front door in a regular rhythm. The sound was dull and Cameron faltered in her steps, groaning at the realization of who her visitor was.

She opened the door without bothering to look through the peephole and welcomed her guest with a long drawn out "House."

House slowly withdrew his cane which was frozen in a motion to knock on Cameron's door again. He was wearing jeans and his black leather jacket while carrying his motorcycle helmet in his left hand.

"Cameron."

House looked at Cameron with a hooded expression, obviously not willing to offer anything more than his host's name. Cameron sighed again and leaned against the door frame. She was unwilling to offer House any more space in her home than absolutely necessary.

"What do you want House?" Cameron asked her boss wearily.

House slowly rolled forward onto his toes trying to steal a look into her apartment. "Oh, you know. I was just in the area after a nice ride on my bike." He raised his eyebrows at this as if riding a motorbike is one of the coolest things anybody has ever heard of.

Cameron's jaw dropped, "You went for a ride on your bike? Did you actually bother to check what the weather was like?"

"Well, all the more a reason for you to let me in and offer a me a nice cup of strong coffee to warm me up again." This time, he actually threw his helmet towards Cameron who caught it instinctively with a reflexive grab. House used her momentary distraction to his advantage and pushed his way past her.

"House!"

Her words of protest fell on deaf ears. House was already taking off his jacket and flinging it on the nearest chair. While he was taking an appreciative look around Cameron's apartment he plunked himself down into her settee.

"Nice place, Cameron…very much you." House commented on her decór, "I kind of miss the fluffy stuffed animals that I so expected to see sitting on your couch." He picked up her iridescent flannel blanket which was a bright colourful spot on her otherwise beige couch. "Nice touch of colours."

"House, I'm asking you again. What do you want?" Cameron was collecting House's wet jacket off her chair and put it on a hanger in her coat rack where she also left his helmet.

"Oh come on, Cameron. Why don't you offer your old boss a nice warm cup of coffee? Where are your manners?" House said, while he picked up Cameron's magazines that were lying on her coffee table and leafed through them.

Cameron stared House down for a second before she turned around with a low growl and left for the kitchen to put the coffee machine on. While the coffee was brewing, Cameron bustled around her kitchen having slipped back into the nice and attentive host that she had been raised to be. Even though she was opening cupboards, her thoughts swirled around her boss who had entered her apartment without further ado.

What was he doing here?

What was House doing in her apartment?

When she came back out of her kitchen, House had switched on her television and was watching an infomercial show for power tools. His feet still in his dirty and wet shoes were prominently resting on Cameron's coffee table as he was quietly chuckling along as the hosts praised their products while smiling and drilling nails into various materials.

Cameron held a cup of coffee in front of House's face and waited for him to take it which he almost immediately did, "You know, sometimes I wonder why they never try these drills on human skulls. They could cover a whole new clientele." He hardly acknowledged Cameron's stance as she posed right next to his left knee, tapping her left foot nervously.

"House."

The man in question took a sip of his coffee, nodding approvingly – the only indication for Cameron that the coffee was just the way he wanted it to be. He let his eyes drift to the left and shuddered obviously.

"Cameron, unclench! We've been through this before. You have to relax, so I can relax," House made a movement with his hand which indicated they were going in circles.

Cameron tried as she was told but only succeeded in shifting from her left side to her right side. "At the moment, House," Cameron said, "you are the personification of relaxation. At the moment, House, you are so relaxed that it is almost sickening. And, House, you are so absolutely and utterly relaxed in my home with your dirty and wet shoes on my table." Saying this she pushed his feet off her table, completely neglecting that House had a handicapped leg or a cup of hot coffee in his hand.

And indeed, House yelped shortly in pain, "Dammit, woman! That hurt. I am a cripple after all."

When Cameron saw that coffee had spilt over House's shirt, she sprang into action and quickly fetched a tea towel from the kitchen. On her return, she observed how House popped a vicodin pill while rubbing his right leg. She stopped and watched him for a moment.

As she saw House sitting there, she felt a wave of compassion. He was always so tough and rough but still there was some vulnerability about him that he rarely showed. Yet, it was always present by his cane and limp.

House must have felt her gaze on him, "I don't want your pity, Cameron." It was an angry outburst. Whether he was angry with Cameron for showing feelings towards his inability or whether he was angry with himself for showing a weakness, Cameron couldn't tell.

"Here," she said as she handed him the towel.

House was still massaging his leg when he said to Cameron in a dark voice, "Here I was so proud of you, Cameron. All grown up in the privacy of your own home, it didn't last long, though."

"Right," Cameron said absentmindedly, unconsciously berating herself for falling for House's antics again.

House was dabbing his jeans when Cameron once again asked her initial question, "House, what do you want?"

House discarded the towel onto her white settee which she snatched up immediately, "I want to know what is going on. Who was on the phone?"

Cameron looked at him stunned, "What?"

House's face reflected utter defeat, "Who was on the phone? Last Wednesday? When you went into the locker room to talk?"

"You went all the way through Princeton on your bike during a snow storm only to ask who I was talking to on the phone four days ago?" Cameron asked unbelievingly.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures," House brushed off her question, "Tell me now, Cameron. Who were you talking to?"

The atmosphere in the apartment was definitely getting thicker by the second. There was Cameron, the young duckling, who was keen on learning and developing her skills. In contrast to her youth there was House, the mentor who had become an old and broken man seemingly needing and relying on his fellows more than he gave away at any time.

"House," Cameron's voice had turned several decibels softer, "The telephone conversation was of a private nature. Nothing for you to worry about."

"I want to know, Cameron. It's the one riddle, I couldn't solve. And I need the answer." House countered her attempt at brushing off the question.

Cameron sighed, "It wasn't a job offer, House. I'm not going anywhere."

House nodded slowly and tapped his cane on the floor underlining his annoyance, "It's not enough. Why did you leave the office? Why did you have to hide? Who was it?"

Cameron got frustrated with House's attitude and grabbed his things from the coat rack, "I answered your question, House. Now leave." Her voice had turned quite cold, which made her boss stop in his movements.

"Oh you," he said standing up from her settee, "you turn it on and off all the time. What shall it be, Dr Cameron? The 'hard to get act' or the' I'm your little kitten act?' You can do both, can't you? Oh, the possibilities I can see..." House let his voice trail off.

By now he was right up into her face. Cameron, on the other hand, felt nothing but disgust for her boss's advances. She shoved his helmet and jacket into his chest and used the movement to push him into the direction of her front door.

"You know what," Cameron said while she opened the door for him, "even if I can be a kick-ass girl or a sweet kitten, you are a long way away from finding that out. Go back into your snow that you like so much. In case the two wheels on your bike aren't enough I'm sure your cane will support you sufficiently."

She had hit the wrong button, or the right one, depending on your point of view. House's jaw tightened, he took hold of his jacket and helmet and went straight out of Cameron's door, slamming it shut in his wake.

The minute he had left her flat, Cameron fell apart. What had she done? He was, after all, her boss and she didn't only throw him out of her flat into horrible weather but she also insulted him on a low level that was even new to her. The man was able to dish it out but he obviously wasn't able to take it.

Cameron went to her window that looked over the street. The streets were illuminated and she was able to see House mounting his bike. The bike sprang to life and a furious cloud of smoke appeared in the air. House turned around to look at her window. Cameron didn't know if he was able to see her but she could feel his rage and anger as he gunned the bike down the road, skidding over the fresh snow.


End file.
